Thomas Peden Southern Mountain Rifle

[looper]

I thought I'd share with you some pictures of a rifle that has been in my family since it was bought new in 1820 (or thereabouts). It was built by Thomas Peden, a gunsmith in Greenville County, SC. It was purchased from him by one of my 4th Great Grandfathers, who lived in Pickens County, SC.

The rifle has a .40 cal, slightly swamped barrel. It measures 7/8" across the flats at the muzzle. The barrel length is 41-1/4".

The stock is cherry (but possibly beech) and has a 13" length of pull. The gun weighs a substantial 9 lbs 8 oz.

The is a good amount of wood missing from around the breech, and the barrel has some corrosion.

All of the furniture appears to be handmade, and the inletting is very good. I imagine the lock was too, at one point.The lock is loose, as the main screw is stripped out. You might notice the front "screw", which is actually a galvanized ring shank nail artfully place by my Grandpa . You might also notice that he thought it was a good idea to engrave his SS# on the side plate.

I'd like to thank DBoone and his lovely bride for taking the time to help me with the pictures.

Here's a link to the photo album in case any of you want to get a better look at the pictures. https://imgur.com/a/rsUBj

[looper]

Butt stock detail




Beavertail Cheekpiece

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Top view of comb


Toe Plate detail (note the engraved "8" and the copper rivet)

[looper]

Wrist/lock detail (note the voids in the casting of the trigger guard) You can also see where my Grandfather etched his SS# in the side plate.

[looper]

Ramrod Pipe Detail

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Muzzle/ End Cap Detail

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Lock Plate and Inletting Detail



It's hard to tell from this picture, but you can see where the pan was cut off, and the clearance for the powder drum was hand filed.


In this picture, you can see the plugged holes for the frizzen spring.

[BOB HILL]

Looper,
Thanks for posting these great pictures. It's always a pleasure to see these old rifles,especially from S.C.
Bob

[oldtravler61]

  Looped you are one lucky guy. Interesting  about the s.s.# on the side plate. Thanks for sharing.   

[Mike Brooks]

I've seen bunches of guns of all eras with the current owner's SS# scratched/engraved somewhere. That's a very unusual gun, I like it.

[Dennis Glazener]

Very interesting rifle. I really like those triggers, never seen any done that way, someone took some time to make those.

Very unusual buttplate, it looks like brass but was it repaired? What with? Or?

Looks like a two piece entry pipe but what about the bands around the thimbles, are they rings put on? Or was the whole thimble turned on a lathe?

Sure am glad to see that it has stayed in the family.

Dennis

[Molly]

"Step" feature on the top of the butt plate is neat as well.

[looper]

Very unusual buttplate, it looks like brass but was it repaired? What with? Or?

Looks like a two piece entry pipe but what about the bands around the thimbles, are they rings put on? Or was the whole thimble turned on a lathe?

I don't think the buttplate was repaired. It does have a couple of tarnished spots, and one spot where there is some weird pitting. If you click on one of the pics of the buttplate detail you can see what I'm talking about.

It looks to me like the thimbles were filed out a thicker piece of brass. However he did it, he did it well.

As a side note, I did find another Peden rifle. It's in the Confederate Museum in downtown Greenville SC. It looks to be a much later gun. It's a half-stock percussion gun with a very ornate toe plate. It doesn't look near as svelte as this gun does, though.

[Brent English]

Just doing some me-too-ing on this really neat old gun.  It's great to have something that has stayed in the family so many generations.  At first glance, I thought it was just another plain-jane, but the details are what really make this gun standout.  Never have seen a buttplate like that before with the step and the heavy rings on the pipes.  Also the cheekpiece has a wonderful shape and definition.  Hope you have a couple more generations lined up to keep this baby safe.

[PPatch]

Thank you for showing this fine rifle, it is unique in a lot of ways. The craftsmanship is outstanding. I like everything about it.

dave

[Nordnecker]

Really neat gun. The stock looks like beech to me.

[Mike Brooks]

Really neat gun. The stock looks like beech to me.

I thought so too, but I'm going to guess at probably cherry......but maybe not.

[Joe S.]

wonderful piece of family history,your very lucky,a lot of us have no connection to our past to physically hold on to.

[looper]

Really neat gun. The stock looks like beech to me.

It could be beech. I had always assumed it was cherry, but DBoone suggested it was probably very plain walnut. There is a very light area in front of the lock where the wood is worn down through the finish. That does look like beech. Is there any way to tell without damaging the gun?

[wildcatter]

Great rifle and I'm glad you shared it! Awesome that you have a rifle defended in your family, wha a treasure! I'm from Six Mile, SC not far from you. This rifle is very important as Thomas Peden and his shop was on the Reedy River and he made several rifles and had at least one known apprentice by the name of David Boyd, which I have a rifle by David Boyd and it has more Jamestown NC characteristics.. Thomas was born at Fairview plantation and was the son of David Peden who immigrated from Ireland. Thomas also had a son David Thomas Peden that was a gunsmith. I have complied a lot of research from this area as I have an interest it. I'm excited you posted this as it helps verify my research. I've not seen a Peden rifle and I'm very happy you took the time to share it! I have a little more information but I have to get to church. Thanks again for sharing!

Matt

[looper]

Matt, you are more than welcome to come take look at it. I have a lot of relatives in Six Mile. Most of them live on Booger Branch Rd, though. Pretty sketchy bunch:)

[wildcatter]

I  live in Virginia now. The next time I'm down that way, I will certainly try to get by. Know Booger Branch road well. Coincidentally, mother taught chemistry at Pickens High School for years. I'm going to save your rifle pictures if you don't mind, I'm in the middle of and iBook on gunsmiths from this area and these pictures would be a big help.

Matt

[wildcatter]

One last note before I head off, the side plate is unusual but similar to a side plate on a Hoy rifle I have. They were in the same area making rifles and both were of Irish decent.

[looper]

Feel free to use the pics.

I grew up and went to school in Greenville Co., but many of my cousins and friends went to school at Pickens High.

What do you think about the lock? I've seen several other guns (in picture only) that had a very similar, if not the same, lock plate. It looks like there may have been some faint engraving on it.

[DBoone]

Something else to consider about this lock.....

#1 -It may have served an earlier rifle as a flintlock and was also used on this rifle when it was first made. 

#2 - It was converted to be used as a caplock for this rifle to start with. 

The evidence of this is what appears to be "plugged front lock screw hole" and no front lock screw has ever been on this rifle. 

Makes the rifle even more interesting and demonstrates that nothing ever went to waste in the South.

Because of the barrel corrosion at the breech my thought is that it was made flint and later converted.  Not all flintlocks used 2 lock screws........as noted and referenced by the Gillespie clan.